eComplexity: Validation and Structural Equation Analysis of the Complex Thinking Scale

Abstract

This study aims to validate The Electronic Complexity instrument which aims to measure the perception of success in complex thinking competency and its dimensions. The research method is descriptive. The questionnaire on the quality of the Electronic Complexity instrument developed by Castillo Martínez and Ramírez Montoya (2022) was distributed and evaluated among 270 students from faculties of educational sciences and psychology in Tehran. In the data analysis section, confirmatory factor analysis was used to assess the validity and reliability of the questionnaire. Validity was measured using factor loadings, average variance extracted (AVE), and the Fornell and Larcker method. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS version 28 and SmartPLS version 3. The results of the exploratory factor analysis indicated that by extracting four components from a total of 25 questionnaire items, these four components explained 52% of the total variance of the questions. The results of the confirmatory factor analysis test demonstrated appropriate factor loadings for the items and confirmed both discriminant and convergent validity. Additionally, reliability was confirmed using composite reliability, indicator reliability, and Cronbach’s alpha. The evaluation of the structural model revealed that the correlation strength between the components and the final construct of complex thinking ranged from a minimum of 0.19 for the innovative thinking component to a maximum of 0.88 for the scientific thinking component, with all relationships being statistically significant (p < .05). This instrument can be reliably used as a valid assessment tool.